Is this it for the NBA Finals?

Before the NBA Finals started, the Cleveland Cavaliers fielded a wide variety of different questions about their third straight appearance, but one, in particular, kept rearing its head: Could they consistently put together 48 minutes of complete basketball against the Golden State Warriors? This time, though, the hole feels deeper mostly because Kevin Durant is now leading a team seeking revenge after blowing a 3-1 lead to Cleveland in last year's Finals.

"Slowdown basketball" isn't Cleveland's M.O. Altering the speed of the game could have an impact on preserving James as the Cavaliers look to rebound from a 0-2 deficit, but the small forward says he doesn't need the break.

It's easy to overreact after two games.

Much was made of Curry's 13-dribble possession in which he turned James inside out before scoring on him at the rim in the second half of Game 2.

Everyone holding out hope for a memorable NBA Finals after an unmemorable first two games is repeating the same refrain: These two teams have been here before.

He is averaging 26.9 points per game - less than two points behind Stephen Curry - and has defended James extremely well.

"They're playing well", James said.

Klay Thompson shook off a shooting slump to score 22 points and the Warriors pulled away late for another lopsided win.

"Kyrie's an assassin", Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said. "We've got to come out and play our best game of the series to win". We have to figure out a way to get him going early.

Smith scored the first three points of Game 1 and hasn't scored since. "They are playing exceptionally well, and I don't get involved in what's going on in the summertime or things of that nature". He has a great sense of humor. "There is a lot of work for us left to do". "And we will. You just get excited thinking about it because we know we can play better".

"I think that there's an understanding between our guys that we haven't performed well in Game 3 [in the past]", Green said. We play our game.

The Cavs' Thompson has been a shell of the guy who dominated the boards at both ends of the court all season and, until the Golden State series, all playoffs for the Cavs. Warriors 2017 NBA Finals on ABC7Last year the Cavs came back in the NBA Finals to win in seven games. "The force that they are going bring and we have stand up to that".

Of the 32 previous times a team has led 2-0 in The Finals, it has gone on to win the series on 28 occasions (.875).

James, Kyrie Irving Kevin Love are going to play an important role for Cavs while Curry and Durant will be eager to continue their form in Game 3 as well.

"Do I look exhausted?" James was encouraging after Game 2.

Sure, Irving was even worse to start the 2016 Finals through the first two games (36 points on 12-for-36 shooting, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 0 blocks, 6 steals) and exploded with 30 points in Game 3 as the Cavs began their comeback.

But that Warriors team, which posted a record 73 wins in the 2015-16 season, was not as unsafe as the current squad due to the addition of four-time scoring champion Kevin Durant to an already formidable lineup. "He's been such a big piece of our success the last three years, obviously".